• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.44 no.7
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• pp.735-744
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• 2012

In order to quantify the flow distribution characteristics of APR+ reactor, a test was performed on a test facility, ACOP ($\underline{A}$PR+ $\underline{C}$ore Flow & $\underline{P}$ressure Test Facility), having a length scale of 1/5 referring to the prototype plant. The major parameters are core inlet flow and outlet pressure distribution and sectional pressure drops along the major flow path inside reactor vessel. To preserve the flow characteristics of prototype plant, the test facility was designed based on a preservation of major flow path geometry. An Euler number is considered as primary dimensionless parameter, which is conserved with a 1/40.9 of Reynolds number scaling ratio. ACOP simplifies each fuel assembly into a hydraulic simulator having the same axial flow resistance and lateral cross flow characteristics. In order to supply boundary condition to estimate thermal margins of the reactor, the distribution of inlet core flow and core exit pressure were measured in each of 257 fuel assembly simulators. In total, 584 points of static pressure and differential pressures were measured with a limited number of differential pressure transmitters by developing a sequential operation system of valves. In the current study, reactor flow characteristics under the balanced four-cold leg flow conditions at each of the cold legs were quantified, which is a part of the test matrix composing the APR+ flow distribution test program. The final identification of the reactor flow distribution was obtained by ensemble averaging 15 independent test data. The details of the design of the test facility, experiment, and data analysis are included in the current paper.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Nondestructive Testing
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.106-110
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• 1989

Bolting degradation problems in primary coolant pressure boundary applications have become a major concern in the nuclear industry. In the bolts concerned, the failure mechanism was either corrosion wastage(loss of bolt diameter) or stress-corrosion cracking.(3) Here the manual ultrasonic testing of RPV(Reactor Pressure Vessel) and RCP(Reactor Coolant Pump) stud has been performed. But it is difficult to detect indications because examiner can not exactly control the rotation angle and can not distinguish the indication from signals of bolt. In many cases, the critical sizes of damage depth are very small(1-2 mm order). At critical size, the crack tends to propagatecompletly through the bolt under stress, Resulting in total fracture.(3) Automatic stud scanner for studs(bolts) was developed because the precise measurement of bolt diameter is required in this circumstance. By use of this scanner, the rotation angle of probe was exactly controlled and the exposure time of radiations was reduced.

• 전기의세계
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.18-23
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• 1970

A neutron detector, in general, can not be utilized as the thermal neutron detecting chamber in the nuclear power reactor, especially P.W.R. due to the characteristics of high temperature, high pressure and high neutron flux in a reactor vessel. We have performed an experiment to detect the thermal neutrons at 400.deg. C and high flux of thermal neutron in a power reactor. Coating boron-10 on the aluminium plates by means of surface diffusion method at 600.deg. C for 5 hours in an electric furace, also we made a typical chamber which was compensated ionization chamber filled with free air as an ionization gas. It was checked the chamber characteristics in the TRIGA MARK-II Reactor at the power level from zero to 250KW. The chamber current showed a perfect linear increase to power increase. However, many variation of the measured current were observed within the power of 50KW.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Pressure Vessels and Piping
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.16-23
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• 2018

In order to investigate the ways to enhance the seismic performance of APR1400 seismic fragile equipment by direct design changes, four equipment such as Reactor Vessel Support, Integrated Head Assembly, Remote Shutdown Console, and Pressurizer are reviewed using information of the main dimensions, seismic stress evaluation results, design FRS, etc. in this paper. In addition to the direct reinforcement of equipments, the feasibility of seismic isolation for the safety related cabinet is also investigated and the actual adaption plan of a commercial spring-damper system is briefly reviewed.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.48 no.6
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• pp.1423-1432
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• 2016

The integrity of a reactor pressure vessel (RPV) related to pressurized thermal shocks (PTSs) has been extensively studied. This paper introduces an integrity assessment of an RPV subjected to a PTS transient based on the French codes. In the USA, the "screening criterion" for maximum allowable embrittlement of RPV material is developed based on the probabilistic fracture mechanics. However, in the French RCC-M and RSE-M codes, which are developed based on the deterministic fracture mechanics, there is no "screening criterion". In this paper, the methodology in the RCC-M and RSE-M codes, which are used for PTS analysis, are firstly discussed. The bases of the French codes are compared with ASME and FAVOR codes. A case study is also presented. The results show that the method in the RCC-M code that accounts for the influence of cladding on the stress intensity factor (SIF) may be nonconservative. The SIF almost doubles if the weld residual stress is considered. The approaches included in the codes differ in many aspects, which may result in significant differences in the assessment results. Therefore, homogenization of the codes in the long time operation of nuclear power plants is needed.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.299-312
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• 2007

The program on thermal-hydraulic evaluation by testing and analysis (THETA) for the development and licensing of the new design features in the APR1400 (Advanced Power Reactor-1400) is briefly introduced with a presentation on the research motivation and typical results of the separate effect tests and analyses of the major design features. The first part deals with multi-dimensional phenomena related to the safety analysis of the APR1400. One research area is related to the multidimensional behavior of the safety injection (SI) water in a reactor pressure vessel downcomer that uses a direct vessel injection type of SI system. The other area is associated with the condensation of steam jets and the resultant thermal mixing in a water pool; these phenomena are relevant to the depressurization of a reactor coolant system (RCS). The second part describes our efforts to develop new components for safety enhancements, such as a fluidic device as a passive SI flow controller and a sparger to depressurize the RCS. This work contributes to an understanding of the new thermal-hydraulic phenomena that are relevant to advanced reactor system designs; it also improves the prediction capabilities of analysis tools for multi-dimensional flow behavior, especially in complicated geometries.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.54 no.10
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• pp.3919-3927
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• 2022

This study presents an optimal design of the coolant system of a non-refueling full-life small reactor by analyzing the space-integrated geometrical and electromagnetic variables of an extra vessel electromagnetic pump (EVEMP) for the circulation of a lead-bismuth eutectic (LBE) coolant. The EVEMP is an ideal alternative to the thermal-hydraulic system of non-refueling full-life micro reactors as it possesses no internal structures, such as impellors or sealing structures, for the transportation of LBE. Typically, the LBE passes through the annular flow channel of a reactor, is cooled by the heat exchanger, and then circulates back to the EVEMP flow channel. This thermal-hydraulic flow method is similar to natural circulation, which enhances thermal efficiency, while providing a golden time for cooling cores in the event of an emergency. When the forced circulation technology of the EVEMP was applied, the non-refueling full-life micro reactor achieve an output power of 60 MWt, which is higher than that achievable via the natural circulation method (30 MWt). Accordingly, an optimized EVEMP for Micro URANUS with a flow rate of 4196 kg/s and developed pressure of 73 kPa under a working temperature of 250 ℃ was designed.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Pressure Vessels and Piping
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.101-106
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• 2016

NSSS (Nuclear Steam Supply System) and BOP (Balance of Plant) design works for PGSFR (Prototype Gen-IV Sodium Fast Reactor) have been conducted in Korea. NSSS major components, e.g. reactor vessel, steam generator and secondary sodium main pipes, are designed according to the rule of ASME boiler and pressure vessel code division 5, in which DBA (Design by Analysis) methods are used in the stress assessments. However, there is little discussions about detail rules for BOP piping design. In this paper, the detail methodologies of BOP piping stress assessment are discussed including safety systems and non-safety system pipings. It is confirmed that KEPIC MGE(ASME B31.1) and ASME BPV code division 5 HCB-3600 can be used in stress assessments of non-safety pipes and class B pipes, respectively. However, class A pipe design according to ASME BPV code division 5 HBB-3200 has many difficulties applying to PGSFR BOP design. Finally, future development plan for class A pipe stress assessment method is proposed in this paper.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Noise and Vibration Engineering Conference
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• 2012.04a
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• pp.734-738
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• 2012

A comprehensive vibration assessment program for the Advanced Power Reactor 1400 reactor vessel internals is established in accordance with the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission Regulatory Guide 1.20 Revision 3. This paper is related to instruments and measurement locations based on the vibration and stress response analysis results at the inner barrel assembly top plate in the reactor. The analysis results of the inner barrel assembly top plate in the reactor show that the deterministic stress and deformation due to the reactor coolant pump induced pressure pulsations are larger than the random stress and deformation induced by the flow turbulence. The selection of the instruments and measurement locations at Inner barrel assembly top plate in the reactor is essential requirements and very important study process for the vibration and stress measurement program in comprehensive vibration assessment program for the Advanced Power Reactor 1400 reactor vessel internals.

• Journal of Power System Engineering
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.80-90
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• 1997

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the validity examination of the J-R curve characteristics for the nuclear reactor pressure vessel steels and Al alloys by the load ratio analysis. The results of the load ratio analysis are compared with those of the J-R curve which are obtained by the ASTM unloading compliance method. The crack length calculated by the load ratio analysis is agree well with the measured final crack length. The slope of the exponential J-R curve estimated by the load ratio analysis is slightly smaller than that by the ASTM unloading compliance method. The J-R curve obtained by the ASTM unloading compliance method is over-predicted and should be offsetted due to the initial negative crack. On the other hand, the load ratio analysis method can evaluate the J-R curve by only load-displacement curve without particular crack measurement equipment.